How to Elope in Olympic National Park
A Day Above the Clouds: Michaela and Dave's Olympic Elopement
Michaela and Dave decided to embark on a romantic adventure, just the two of them, surrounded by the breathtaking beauty of Olympic National Park. This intimate elopement was a celebration of their love, marked by deeply intentional and thoughtful moments, plus a touch of whimsy.
M&D began their day at a cozy riverside cabin, getting ready separately then sharing a first look out before heading out on their adventure. The first stop—the lake!
With the sun shining brightly, Michaela and Dave headed to the lake to skip rocks and explore the tangle of woods.
Our next stop was up in the mountains, and the foggy drive left us all a little nervous. Would there be a view? But as we climbed to the summit, we were suddenly above the clouds—a breathtaking sight that added an ethereal touch to their ceremony. Braving the cold, these two shared handwritten vows and listened to heartfelt letters from loved ones written beforehand and read aloud by me, their officiant. It was a thoughtful and intimate ceremony, and a chilly one.
As we got back down to our cars, the fog was rolling in and it was getting dusky. The cold was beginning to set in for real. Undeterred, we set up a quick picnic to warm our fingers and cut the cake. They had actually bought two cakes from the grocery store for the occasion: a nice little elegant white sheet cake, and the other… well, scroll down to see for yourselves!
THINKING OF ELOPING IN OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK?
Olympic National Park is hands down one of the best places in the world for an adventure elopement. Whether you want snow-capped mountains, ancient mossy rainforests, gorgeous coastlines, emerald lakes, meadows blooming with colorful wildflowers—Olympic National Park has got it all. If you want to elope in Olympic National Park, these are a few things to know and take into consideration beforehand:
WHEN TO ELOPE
While some parts of the Olympic peninsula are pretty remote, weekends during the on-season can still be overwhelmingly crowded at Olympic National Park, so I highly recommend eloping on a weekday for your elopement. The best ways to avoid crowds are to elope during sunrise, or to pick a date in the off-season. Some locations like Lake Crescent, the Hoh Rainforest, and the Olympic coast are great places to visit any time of year! Meanwhile the more mountainous spots like Hurricane Ridge and surrounding wilderness area can be difficult to access in the winter or early spring, so shoot for summer or early fall if you want to get out into the mountains.
GETTING TO THE PENINSULA
I recommend taking the Washington State ferry to get to the peninsula! It’s an amazing experience and a really unique way to travel. If you’re staying in Seattle and trying to get to Port Angeles, I recommend taking the ferry from Seattle to Bainbridge. For more info on the WSDOT ferry system and schedule, click here.
DISTANCES BETWEEN LOCATIONS
The Olympic peninsula is vast and pretty remote. I love taking couples to several spots on the same day, but it does require some clever planning and some time spent in the car putting miles down. Some locations are a several hour drive from other spots. The Hoh Rainforest, while absolutely mindbogglingly beautiful, is a good 2-3 hours drive from Hurricane Ridge and Lake Crescent. Be mindful of where you look for lodging, and how far it is from where you want to have your elopement!
MARRIAGE LAW, OFFICIANTS, & Witnesses
Once you apply for your marriage license (which you can do online), there is a 3 day waiting period before you can go have your ceremony.
You will need a licensed officiant for your Olympic elopement. Great news: we’re all ordained, and we offer complimentary officiant services with all of our elopement packages!
When it comes time for your ceremony, you will also need two witnesses to sign your marriage license. If you to learn more about finding witnesses and navigating marriage law for your elopement, read our blog post about that here!
ELOPEMENT PERMITS
Depending on the logistics and size of your elopement, you might need a permit to elope in Olympic National Park. Contact the ranger station to find out what if any permits are necessary, and what the steps are to apply for your permit—or, better yet, get in touch with us and we’ll help you sort out the permit information and all the other logistics, too!
Adventure Inspiration
For inspiration on what your day could look like and what the Olympic peninsula has to offer, check out Michaela and Dave’s gallery!
HOW TO START PLANNING YOUR Olympic ELOPEMENT
STEP 1: DO SOME RESEARCH
Hey look at that, you’re already ahead of the game! The first step in planning an elopement is to do research, and that usually starts with locations. And if you know you want to elope in Olympic National Park, you’re already ahead of the game!
Once you have a general idea of what you want, you can start to get ideas for all the rest of what your elopement may entail: travel, hiking trails, elopement-day activities, ceremony ideas, and so on. It’s also a great chance to brainstorm and explore!
STEP 2: CONNECT WITH A PLANNER & PHOTOGRAPHER WHO KNOWS THE AREA, AND PICK A DATE
I recommend hiring your photographer early on in the planning process because a great photographer is so much more than a camera person—they’re also a wealth of knowledge!
You want someone who knows the area (psst, that’s us!) and who can help you find the perfect location and give you valuable insight into the area, and help you with all the logistics like travel, timelines, marriage law, and permits, provide recommendations for other vendors and activities—plus tips for what else to do and see on your elopement trip!
A few tips on finding a photographer and picking a date:
I recommend looking for someone local to the area you want to elope, since they’ll know the ins and outs of that specific region.
Look for someone who specializes in adventure elopements (like us). There is so much more logistically involved with an adventure elopement than a big wedding or a photoshoot, and you’ll want someone with the right expertise and knowledge, plus the proper gear and outdoors experience to be as prepared and safe as possible.
Even if you don't have an exact date, having a season or time of year in mind is helpful when you start looking for your photographer—but if you’re still unsure, we’re happy to help steer you in the right direction and find what’s best for you.
PICKING A DATE: Weekends can be overwhelmingly crowded pretty much anywhere you go in the region, especially in the busy season (April through October), so I highly recommend picking a weekday for your elopement. You’ll end up with less crowds and a far more intimate experience.
TIP FROM A PRO: If you have a specific photographer in mind that you’re dreaming of working with, I recommend coming to them with a flexible date range for a better chance of securing a booking with them!
Our packages are pretty darn-near all-inclusive and come with planning services, officiating services, gear and decoration rentals, even videography and custom elopement announcement design. We also offer 35mm and 8mm film!
STEP 3: NARROW DOWN THE DETAILS
After you’ve got a date, a location, and a photographer, you can start to book the rest of your vendors and get into the nitty gritty details. Make sure you’ve got an officiant lined up (psst, we’re ordained and include officiant services with all our packages!), hire your other vendors, research marriage laws and apply for your marriage license, apply for your permit (if applicable), book your travel and accommodations, get together a packing list, and craft your timeline so your elopement day can go off without a hitch.
We can also help you navigate the ins and outs of elopement logistics and provide you with personalized recommendations for vendors and more so you don’t have to feel overwhelmed with all the planning.
A few logistical notes:
FINDING AN OFFICIANT: You will need a licensed officiant for your elopement adventure. Great news: we’re all ordained, and we offer complimentary officiant services with all of our elopement packages!
MARRIAGE LAW: Once you apply for your marriage license (which you can do online), there is a 3 day waiting period before you can go have your ceremony. When it comes time for your ceremony, you will also need two witnesses to sign your marriage license. If you to learn more about finding witnesses and navigating marriage law for your elopement, read our blog post about that here!
PERMITS: Depending on where in Washington you want to elope, you will most likely need a permit. National parks in Washington require permits even for small elopements, as do some of the national forests, depending on the logistics and size of your elopement. Contact the office in charge of your location to find out what if any permits are necessary, and what the steps are to apply for your permit—or, better yet, get in touch and we’ll help you sort out the permit information and all the other logistics, too.
STEP 4: PACK YOUR BAG, GET OUT THERE, AND HAVE THE BEST ELOPEMENT DAY EVER!
HEY THERE, WE’RE
WILDERPINES ELOPEMENTS
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We’re here to inspire you and help you create a unique, intentional, unforgettable wedding experience that reflects who you are, then to capture it all so you can relive those moments forever.
If you’re looking for more information on how to elope in the Pacific Northwest or beyond, get in touch and let’s start planning your dream elopement!
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